UFC's Schaub on Mitrione Twitter beef: 'I don't need any more fuel for the fire'

They were teammates on Rashad Evans‘ squad on “The Ultimate Fighter 10,” but Brendan Schaub (9-3 MMA, 5-3 UFC) and Matt Mitrione (6-2 MMA, 6-2 UFC) are now acting a lot more like what they’re going to be next month: opponents.

The two recently got in a round of sparring on Twitter, with Mitrione making fun of Schaub’s recent appearances in grappling and MMA, and Schaub bringing Mitrione’s wife into the mix.

“I might look like adam Sandler/corkey mix your wife when we did appearances together sure seemed to like it,” Schaub fired back. “How’s that going by the way?”

The heavyweights will answer for their words next month on the FX-televised preliminary card of UFC on FOX 8, which takes place July 27 at KeyArena in Seattle.

Mitrione got the ball rolling on Monday with a playful jab about his former teammate’s chin. He then took aim at Schaub’s recent appearance at the grappling competition Metamoris, which ended in a dreary decision loss to Roberto “Cyborg” Abreu, and his grinding win over Lavar Johnson at UFC 157.

“Someone asked me if @BrendanSchaub is married. Seriously? I saw his Jiu Jitsu match. How you gonna get married when you refuse to engage?” he continued.

Two months ago, Mitrione, who recently snapped a two-fight skid with a knockout of Phil De Fries, was suspended and fined for a transphobic rant against transgender fighter Fallon Fox and is expected to work with the LGBT community to make amends for his action.

Schaub is Mitrione’s first opponent since the incident and didn’t take kindly to the tweets.

“My man remember when you pissed your pants on TUF and you said fighting wasn’t for you. I do and Well it still isn’t,” he responded.

Schaub today told MMAjunkie.com (www.mmajunkie.com) that things started getting tense between the two when Mitrione attended his recent appearance at Metamoris.

“I don’t know what’s going on,” Schaub said. “He came to my match, and it was a little bit weird. Yesterday, my buddy told me he was talking trash. So I got on there and there was some bulls–t, so I called him out, and we just took it from there.

“I think he’s upset because I crossed the line or something like that. He’s making fun of the way I look, and I said, ‘You’re wife doesn’t seem to mind.’ So I think he’s upset with it.”

Indeed, Mitrione seemed to take offense at the escalation.

“Nothing and I mean nothing pisses me of more than someone I considered a friend doing me dirty. I Gotchu @BrendanSchaub #BenedictArnold,” he wrote.

While Mitrione might have gotten a boost from the exchange, the skirmish isn’t providing any more motivation for Schaub, who recently snapped a two-fight skid with a decision win over Lavar Johnson at UFC 157.

“I don’t need any more fuel for the fire,” he said. “I’ve got work to do. Matt and his boy (former UFC heavyweight Sean) McCorkle sit around and come up with stuff to talk s–t about. I’m training for Matt. He’s just another opponent. I’m going to kill this dude.”

Mitrione, who was unreachable for comment, doesn’t sound convinced.

“Don’t count on seeing @BrendanSchaub on the Maury Povich show anytime soon. Cuz after we fight next month, he’ll know exactly who his dad is,” he wrote.

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